The worldwide market for implant-based dental products is forecasted to approach $3.5 billion by 2010, and although only 9% of the global dental market is allocated to dental implants, it is the fastest growing segment at a rate of 15% per year. These projections could imply that although significant improvements in overall oral health are observed globally, there remains significant problems associated with prosthodontic devices, including versatility, longevity, and performance. More specifically, some common failures associated with existing implant materials, dental or orthopedic, include aseptic loosening, long healing times, and delamination of bioactive coatings from the implant substrate. Therefore, by bridging the fields of dentistry, bioengineering, and materials science we propose to develop a unique implant coating that could function in harmony with existing implant substrates to induce rapid biomimetic processes may provide a significant public health benefit. The long-term goal of this research endeavor is to develop a unique niobium oxide coating that forms strong interfacial bonds with the implant substrate while stimulating rapid osseointegration when implanted in vivo for high load-bearing applications, such as hip and tooth replacements. We hypothesize this nano-inspired niobium oxide coating exhibits incredible bioactivity by virtue of its self-assembled arrangement created through rapid oxidation in an aqueous electrolyte. The resulting oxide is comprised of micron-sized cones that manifest crystal sites amenable for epitaxial growth of apatite as well as topology that favors cellular attachment and growth. In this Phase 1 research proposal to the NIDCR, we propose to address the following specific aims:1) deposition of niobium metal onto Ti6Al4V substrates followed by optical and mechanical verification measurements, 2) optimizing niobium metal thickness after anodization via scratch tests, and 3) validation of niobium oxide microcone-induced bioactivity in vivo. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The worldwide market for implant-based dental products is forecasted to approach $3.5 billion by 2010, and although only 9% of the global dental market is allocated to dental implants, it is the fastest growing segment at a rate of 15% per year. These projections could imply that although significant improvements in overall oral health are observed globally, there remains significant problems associated with prosthodontic devices, including versatility, longevity, and performance. The long-term goal of this research endeavor is to develop a unique niobium oxide coating that forms strong interfacial bonds with the implant substrate while stimulating rapid osseointegration when implanted in vivo for high load-bearing applications, such as hip and tooth replacements.